Robe-rail for automobiles.



- Ai WINTON & H, B. ANDERSON.

ROBE RAIL FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1911.

Patented 0c't.15,1912.

1' S on) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

ALEXANDER WINTON A D. HAnoLn B. ANDERSON, E oLEvELAND, OHIO, AssIGNoR'sTO THE w'I 'roN MOTOR CAR IAGE COMPANY, 0E CLEVELAND, OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ROBE-RAIL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Patented Oct. 15,1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALEXANDER WIN'roN and HAROLD B. A DERSON, citizensof the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the, county of Cuyahogaand State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Robe-Rails forAutomobiles, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to theaccompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in robe rails for automobiles,and the object of which is to provide a robe rail adapted to be foldedto variable distances between the rail and the body of the automobile,whereby variable thicknesses of articles can be placed on the rail andrigidly held thereby.

In the accompanying drawings*Figure l is atop plan view partly insection of one form of the improvedrobe rail, the same being partiallyshownin section. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1, the rail shownlifted in full lines and in its extreme folded position in 'dottedlines; Fig.3 is an enlarged sectional view of the form of frictiondevice shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the, improved roberail partially in section and showing another way of accomplishingthe'frictional efiect.

This improved robe rail is particularly intended to be used in thetonneau of automobiles and is supported at the back of the ceivingrobes, shawls and similar articles and to rigidly hold them between therail and the back of the front seat or body of the vehicle. I y

Referring now to the drawings, 1 indicates the front seat of a tonneauof the automobile, and 2 the robe rail. This rail is essentially.U-shaped in form and has its ends pivotally supported by plates orbrackets3 and3, which are attached to the back of the front seat 1. Thepivotal connection between the rail and the supporting plates orbrackets in" the two forms here shown, comprises tapered members whichare 'fric tionally held by spring tension, whereby the 50 rail turns .orhinges onfrictional bearings and is thereby held in its adjustedposition. '1 In the form shown in Fig. 1, the ends 4 of the rail areprovided with tapered reces ses 5. One of these tapered recesses 5receives. a corresponding.taperedvbearing 6,

. outer .end of which engages the outer end bracket projects.

front seat thereof, for the purpose of re' 'variable adjustablefrictional folding robe which is made rigid with the supporting bracket3, while the tapered recess 5, at theother end of the rail, receives aspring projected tapered bearing 7. The tapered bearing 7, in the formshown in Fig. 1, is longitudinally movable in an opening 8, in thebracket 8 and the bearing is provided with a longitudinal opening 9,which. receives an expanded helical spring 10, the

of the opening 9, and the inner end of which engages the end wall of theopening 8. To prevent the turning of the tapered hearing 7, it isprovided with a longitudinal slot 11, into which a pin 12 carried by theThe tapered apertures 5 in the ends of the rail extend beyond the endsof the bearings, as shown at 13, the object of which is to permit therelative endwise movement of the rail and bearings when they becomeworn.

The spring projected bearing 7 serves to force itself tightly into itstapered aperture 5 and also causes an endwise tension on the rail whichforces the tapered bearing 6, of the other bracket tightly in itstapered recess. This action causes a frictional bearing or contactbetween the rail and its supporting brackets which will prevent anyrattling of the rail either when there is or is not a robe or othersimilar article thereon. A- rubber projection 14 extends from the backof the seat 1 to engage the rail when it is empty and carried to itsextreme folded position, as shown in Fig. 2, to prevent the marl-ing ofthe varnish by the engagement of the rail with the back of the seat. Bymeans of this folding frictional rail it is adapted to receive and torigidly clamp variable thicknesses of an article or plurality ofarticles placed thereon and to firmly clamp them between therail and theback of the seat, thus preventing them from be ing shaken off andfalling on the floor of the tonneau by the jarring of the vehicle whenin motion, which is a very common occurrence and is objectionable.

In Fig. 4:, another form of providing a rail isshown. In this form thespring action is accomplished by the laterally buckling or bending ofthe rail 2. In this latter form the supporting brackets 15 are providedwith tapered recesses 16, which IGCGIVQ- inwardly oroppositely-@projecting tapered bearings 17, rigidly carried by thetapering bearings 17 and their receiving recesses 16 by laterallybending or buckling the rod 2, as shown in dotted lines,before it isapplied to the vehicle. In applying this form to its supportingvbracketsthe supporting brack- ,ets are sufficiently separated to cause thestrengthening of the rail against its lateral bend which causes thebearings to have an endwise frictional thrust in their taperedapertures.

It will be observed that in both of the forms here shown for causing thefrictional tension between the rail and its supporting bracket, theplacing of the artieles on the rail will tend to increase thisfrictional efiect.

llaving thus described this invention, what is claimed and desired tosecure by LettersPatent is 1. In a folding robe-rail for automobiles,

tapered friction bearings into engagement for the purpose described. 3

2. In a folding robe-rail for automobiles,

the combination with a scat-back, of two separated projecting bracketssecured thereto, of a one-piece Ushaped rail, the rail and bracketshaving respectively telescoping tapered recesses and projections, themain portion of the raihhaving normally a lateral bend to cause frictionbetween said projeetions and the walls of the recesses for the purposedescribed.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures in the presenee oftwo witnesses.

ALEXANDER WINTON. HAROLD B. ANDERSON.

\Vitnesses W. J. lVARD, G. M. LAVELLE.

